Soap dispenser



M. ALLAND SOAP DISPENSER May 5, 1931.

Filed Sept. 24. 1 29 2 Sheets-Sheet l A w m w J- 5 6 J 4 2 1 a 5 1 2 I 1 Eta/ Z =m=@ =55:E; 5mm ,U \& mm z M 6 x 9 5 a J & flzfi m 7 Liv m aa w m 4 6 ,3

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May 5, 1931. L N 1,803,827

SOAP DISPENSER Filed Sept. 24. 1929 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 5, 1931 UNITE STATES Mrs SOAP DISPENSER Application filed September 2%, 1929. Serial No. 394,767.

The object of this invention is to provide improvements in soap dispensers and especially in that type which is designed to grate soap in cake form for direct delivery to one or both hands of the user.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which permits the use of cakes of a wide range of sizes and shapes so that in ones home he may use cakes of his one or more favorite soaps with an equal degree of efficiency in the operation of the device.

A further object is to so construct the device that when used in public places the soap cake is locked in operative position so as to prevent is being stolen without destroying the cake form, together with audible means d signed to discourage the wasting of the soap by grating off: more than may be necessary. 7

Still another object is to provide in such a device an improved feed mechanism which permits movement of the soap-holding means in one direction but prevents its movement in the opposite direction except when ,a key or instrument of special design is employed, and which can be so adjusted to permit relatively free movement in either direction when so desired,.as for instance in the case of home use of the device.

And .a still further object has been to provide an improved grating element; to provide means for ada )ting-the device at will to soap cakes of various transverse sizes, to.

provide variable means for automatically limiting the amount of soap dispensed at one operation; to provide means to insure the use of substantially the entire soap cake down to the smallest possible piece; and to provide other details such as are hereinafter fully brought out inthe following description when read in conjunction with the accom anvin drawin s in which Fi 1 is" u U b a front elevational view of one embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same on the line 22 of Fig. 1, with but a small portion inside elevation; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. & is a horizontal section on the line 4 4: of Fig. 2; Figs. 5 and 6 are fragmentary sectional views on the line 5-.6 and 5.6 of Fig. 2, respectively without and with the key; and Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section similar to Fig. 2, showing the soap holder in close proximity to the grating element after the soap cake has been decreased to but a small piece.

Referring to the drawings, a supporting bracket is shown as comprising acentral rectilinear section 1, terminating in angularly disposed parallel sections 2, which respectively merge into oppositely directed aligned feet 3, which are adapted .to be secured by any suitable means to a wall surface or other vertical support represented by the dot-anddash lines 4, or to an upwardly extending portion of a bracket, the base of which is represented by the dot-and-dash lines 5. Thus the device is intended to be used either in a fixed position, or upon a portable bracket or stand, as illustrated by the .dotand dash 7 lines 4 and 5.

From the lower portion ofthe bracket section 1 there extends horizontally a central bracket 6, comprising at its lower portion a radially inwardly extending planular flange 7, which directly supports the marginal portion of a removable perforated grating device 8l At one point about the periphcry of said flange there is provided a stop .9 which engages within a cutout portion 10 in said grating device to prevent the latter from rotating when the dispenser is in operation. lVithin said bracket there may be positioned, if desired, a removable annular ring 11, which at one point about its periphery is provided with a radially extending lug 12, which projects into a corresponding recess 18 in the inner surface of said bracket, to prevent said ring also from rotating. This or a similar ring is positioned as shown in the drawings when a cake of soap 14 is being used, having a diameter so much smaller tha that of the interior of said bracket '6 as to permit the soap cake to more easily tilt when in operation, or to prevent its being removed from the device by unauthorized persons. However, when transversely larger soap cakes are employed, the ring 11 is removed, as such larger cakes'morenearly fill the internal diameter of said bracket.

ratchet teeth 21 which normally engage corresponding teeth 22 in the bracket section 1, said plunger being provided with a threaded stem 23, which is surrounded by a spring 24:, operative to normally maintain the plunger and bracket teeth in cooperation. The outer end of said spring bears against the inwardly directed flange 25 of a cylindrical housing 26.

Since the teeth of the bracket section 1 and the plunger 20 are so shaped as to permit the arm 16 to be moved downwardly at all times, but resist upward movement of the latter, a cylindrical internally threaded key 27 is provided, having a manually engage-able flattened extension 28. This key is inserted within the housing 26 and is rotated into threaded engagement with the stem 23, the plunger 20 being removed longitudinally from engagement with the toothed surface 22 of the bracket section 1. lVhile said plunger is thus removed, the arm 16 may be raised at will for the purpose of placing a new soap cake within the device or for other purposes as may be desired, after wh ch releasing and removing said key perm ts the ratchet teeth to again operate to permit lowering, but resist raising, of 531d arm. However, if said key is rotated as far 1s permitted upon the threaded stem 23, the plunger 20 is thereby removed freely iroin engagement with the bracket section and when employed for residence use. the arm is then free to be raised and lov-iered as may be desired, the key 272 8 being permanently permitted to remain 1n operative position within the housing 26.

The outer free end portion 29 of the arm 16 is provided with a circular flange 30, which preferably bears suitable indicat ng fractional portions of a COITIPlQEQ lQVOlUtlOXl of the peripherally knurled actuating disc 31. This disc rotatably surrounds the central portion 32 of a cylindrical member. the up er end portion 33 of which extends through and in threaded engagement with an axial bore 34 within the free end portion 29 of said arm 16. The lower end portion 35 of said cylindrical member comprises a head having recesses or other surface irregularities whereby said member is operatively positioned,

said member in fact comprising a bolt having an axial bore 36, through which extends in threaded engagement a bolt 37, having a knurled head 38, said last-named bolt 37 being connected by a pivot pin 39 to a plate 40, which upon rotating said bolt is adapted to be lowered with respect to a depending annular extension 41, carried by the under surface of said actuating disc 31 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The arm 16 is also provided with an in ternally threaded recess 42, opening downwardly through a restricted bore 43 and in which recess is secured in threaded engagement the reduced end portion of a member 4A which comprises a cylindrical portion 45, housing a spring 46. The member 44 is closed at its upper portion except for a bore 47, through which extends a pin 48, having a knurled head 49, the lower end portion of said pin being provided with a collar and extending freely below the arm 16 and adapted to engage within any desired number of spaced recesses 51, angularly positioned about the upper surface of the operating disc 31. Any or all of these recesses 51 may be provided with flat head screws 52, which, when raised into a position flush with the upper surface, permit the spring-pressed pin 48 to ride over said recesses without stopping the movement of the manually rotatable disc 31. On the other hand, if any of these screws 52 are depressed, as shown on the left side of Fig. 2, said pin 48 drops into the corresponding recess 51 and arrests the rotation of the disc, until the knurled head 49 of said pin is manually raised to permit a continuation of said disc rotation.

In the operationof this device, the various parts are positioned as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and by simultaneously pressing downwardly upon and rotating the disc 31, the laterally spaced depending lugs 53, carried by the extension 11,'serve to rotate the soap cake 14: and cause the grating element 8 to abrade or shave off the adjacent lower end portion of said cake. As the cake wears away, the arm 16 is readily lowered, but while the plunger 20 is in its innermost position, said arm cannot be as readily raised, as hereinbefore described.

In order to commence the rotation of the operating disc 31, the pin 48, as before stated, must first be removed from the adjacent recess 51, after which said pin will ride upon the upper surface of said disc until it is forced downwardly into the same or a different recess. Continued rotation of said disc with consequent grating of the soap can be carried out by again withdrawing said pin from its adjacent recess. Finally, when the soap-engaging lugs 53 closely approach the cylindrical bracket 6 or internal ring 11, the

bolt 37 is rotated so as to force the plate 40 downwardly with respect to said lugs and thereby lower the relative position of the remaining piece of the soap cake, as shown in Fig. 7 As before stated, the arm 16 may be subsequently raised, as hereinbefore described, for the purpose of placing in operative position a new soap cake, and the relative free movement of said arm with respect to its supporting bracket is at all times controlled by the position of the plunger 20 as determined by the use of the key 2728. For convenience, there is detachably and flexibly secured to said key a screw driver or similar instrument 54 for setting at will the elevation of the screws 52.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A soap dispenser, comprising a bracket bar having a ratchet surface, a grating element supported by said bracket, an arm slidably carried and wholly supported by said bar, ratchet means normally permitting relative movement of said arm upon said bar in one direction and preventing such movement in the opposite direction, and rotatable means carried and wholly supported by said arm to permit rotation of a soap cake with respect to said element.

2. A soap dispenser, comprising a bracket bar having a ratchet surface, a grating ele ment supported by said bracket, an arm slidably carried and wholly supported by said bar, ratchet means normally permitting relative movement of said arm upon said bar in one direction and preventing such movement in the opposite direction, rotatable means carried and wholly supported by said arm to permit rotation of a soap cake with respect to said element, and ratchet-engaging means to arrest movement of said last-named means at predetermined intervals.

3. A soap dispenser, comprising a bracket bar having a ratchet surface, a grating element supported by said bracket, an arm slidably carried and wholly supported by said bar, ratchet means normally permitting relative movement of said arm upon said bar in one direction and preventing such movement in the opposite direction, rotatable means carried and wholly supported by said arm to permit rotation of a soap cake with respect to said element, and yieldingly positioned spring-pressed means to arrest movement of said last-named means at predetermined intervals.

l. A soap dispenser, comprising a bracket bar having a ratchet surface, a grating ele ment supported by said bracket, an arm slidably carried and wholly supported by said bar. ratchet means normally permitting relative movement of said arm upon said bar in one direction and preventing such movement in the opposite direction, rotatable means carried and wholly supported by sa d arm to permit rotation of a soap cake with respect to said element, adjustable means earried by said rotatable means at spaced angular positions, and ratchet means engageable with said last-named means in a given position to arrestmovement of said rotation means at any of said positions when said last ratchet means is not in engagement with said adjustable means. i

5. A soap dispenser, comprising ,a bracket bar having a ratchet surface, a grating element supported by said bracket, an armsl-idably carried and wholly supported by said bar, ratchet means normally permitting relative movement of said arm upon said bar in one direction and preventing such move ment in the opposite direction, rotatable means carried and wholly supported by said arm to permit rotation of a soap cake with respect to said element, adjustable means carried by said rotation means at spaced angular positions, and yieldingly positioned spring-pressed means to arrest movement of said rotation means at any of said positions when said last means is not in engagement with said adjustable means.

6. A soap dispenser, comprising a bracket bar having a ratchet surface, a grating element supported by said bracket, an arm slidably carried and wholly supported by said b r, ratchet means normally permitting relative movement of said arm upon said bar in one direction and preventing such movement in the opposite direction, rotatable means carried and wholely supported by said arm to permit rotation of a soap cake with respect to said element, and axially adjustable means carried by said arm to adjustably position a soap cake longitudinally with respect thereto.

7. A soap dispenser, comprising a bracket bar having a ratchet surface, a grating element supported by said bracket, an arm slidably carried and wholly supported by said bar, ratchet means normally permitting relative movement of said arm upon said bar in one direction and preventing such movement in the opposite direction, rotatable means carried and wholly supported by said arm to permit rotation of a soap cake with respect to said element, and means to withdraw and withhold said ratchet means from its normal operation at will.

8. A soap dispenser, comprising a bracket bar having a ratchet surface, a grating element supported by said bracket, an arm slidably carried and wholly supported by said bar, ratchet means normally permitting relative movement of said arm upon said bar in one direction and preventing such movement in the opposite direction, rotatable means carried and wholly supported by said arm to permit rotation of a soap cake with respect to said element, and a detachable key to withdraw said first means to suspend its function either temporarily or for a prolonged period.

If ab 9. A soap grater, comprising a-bracket having a laterally extending cylindrical projection, a grating element removably carried thereby, and a sub-caliber ring removably carried by said projection to adapt the dispenser to soap cakes of different sizes.

10. A soap grater, comprising a bracket having a laterally extending cylindrical projection, provided With a radial flange, a grating element removably carried by said flange, and a sub-caliber ring removably supported by and Within said projection to adapt the dispenser to soap cakes of different sizes.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature. MAURICE ALLAND. 

